Heddle frame support



- R. T; OSTEEN HEDDLE FRAME SUPPORT Aug. 21, 1945. r

. Original iled June 17; 1943 schools, institutions and by individuals.

ever, even with the advent of the steel Wire (i. e.,

Patented Aug. 21, 1945 HEDDLE FRAFLIE SUPPORT Richard T. Osteen, Greenville, S. 0., assignor to Walker Manufacturing Company, Incorporated, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application June 17, 1943, Serial No. 491,215, now Patent No. 2,344,212, dated March 14, 1944. Divided and this application November 2, 1943, Serial No. 508,703

6, Clairns. (cries-9 2) Theobject of the invention is to provide improvements in loom harnesses, generally speaking, and more particularly in the means for sup-- porting and elevating the heddle frames and/or returning said frames to their depressedpositions, this application being a division of Serial No. 491,215, filed June 1'7, 1943. a

, Since early times, the fibrous cord heddles of certain looms have been supported directly by and between transversely extending, vertically spaced shafts, and probably in order to distribute the tension as equally as possible, thecables,

straps, etc. employed to elevate the heddles have been attached to intermediate portions of said shafts, that is, at points well within the outer limits thereof. Such looms having fibrous hedclles are today used almost exclusively in How"- ribbon-like) heddle in commercial looms and i the step by step improvement in supporting the same,.usually by and between heddle bars spaced from the shafts within the heddle framejthe method of supporting, elevating and depress ing the same has remained substantially the same, although the intermediate attachment of the cables, straps and the like has never ceased to interfere with a weavers ready'access'to the opposite sides of the frame from one side only, as when necessary or desirable to lean orreac stantially only, as has heretofore been the case. The strongest parts are obviously the metal end pieces or spacing members, and while it is true that intermediate portions of the frame l at times have been braced and strengthened, in

order to stand the strain of present-day constructions, attaching the straps, cables and the like in alignment with such intermediate braces obviously shifts the straps and cables definitely into the space needed by the operator in attending to his loom. 1 l

, The, present method of supporting heddle frames in looms is by strapping them to hooks and eyes in the shafts at points well removed from the end members, usually about one-quarter of thelength of the frame from each end. For example, in a 45-inch frame the straps or other supports are usually about 10 or 11 inches in from the opposite sides. As a result, the strain andstress is delivered to the shaft whence the shaft transmits thisstrain outwardly to the said endmembers, causing the shaft tobend or flex an indeterminate and varying amount, as no two pieces of wood are exactly alike or bend exactly similarly, while no two are duplicates as to inherent strength.

The result is that too much wear and tear is placed upon the heddles, which are the most expensive part of the frame. .Inturn, the heddle bars are hardf-to keep properly adjusted, and when not properly adjusted, that is, parallel throughout the length ofthe frame, said heddles break, causing both frequent loom stoppages and generally unsatisfactory work. Therefore, in

, stopping the shafts frombending, by relieving them of the function of directly elevating and lowering theweight of the entire frame, including the many heddles which it carries, and instead expectingnothing from said shafts except to support andmaintain the heddles parallel, one isable to offer the mills substantiallylonger heddle life, and more satisfactory service from bothheddles and frames as longas they are in use. i a a a i --A further and more specific object is to provide a construction of thistype, in which the straps, cords and the like of the elevating and depressing harness are attached directly to the shafts, but as closelyas may be convenient-and feasible to the ends thereof. Proceeding still further, the straps or the like hereinbefore referred to may extend through bores in said shafts and have knots or other means on their ends to prevent them fromslipping through and from said bores, said bores extending either wholly or but partially through said shafts.

With the objects thus briefly stated, the inverition comprises further details of construction and operation, which are hereinafter fully brought out in the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an ele'vational'view of a frame and -harness for looms comprising one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a corner of the frame; and-Fig. 3 is an enlarged eleva inany suitable manner.

accessible from either side, while installed in operative position. On the other hand, it is preferable to alter or initially provide both shafts with the improved construction, so that the frame probably no need, even if it should be possible,.to

reach both sides of the frame: from beneath: the

same. equally covers use of the invention upon either one or both of said shafts.

However, the term one of.- said shafts Also in the claims, the phrase frame-sh-ifti-na means is intended to include use of cables;

straps, springs, or weights, and equivalent means which may be employed for elevating a heddle frame from above or depressing it from below, and the invention therefore equally covers the connections between said frame and whatever devices may be used for the purposes mentioned. Furthermore, the intentof the invention is to cover all manner of connections between cables, straps; springs, weights and the. like on the one hand, and the end and closely adjacent portions on. the other hand, regardless-of whether said connections are by direct contact of, the said cables, straps, etc., with the heddle frame (i. e.,. shafts, spacing bars, or extensions of either), or" indirectly through the interpositionof hooks,

eyes, lugs and their equivalents, as. suitable 'suchmanner as to provide terminal portions 4-,

which'are bent angularly inwardly and secured as by means of screws or the like to the opposite outer sides of the respective shafts, while adja-' cent to the lower end of each of said members depends an eye 5 to which is attached an expansion spring 6, weight, or other suitable means, for normally holding said frame in its lowermostposition.

In order to still further secure said side or end.

members to said shafts, angle'members 9 are provided upon the adjacent inner sides of said shafts, and secured thereto and tosaid members also, provided with pairs of aligned apertures l0; through which extend the end portions of heddle bars H, carrying heddles t2, of any desired type in the usual manner. Eachof said bars is secured in position by means of resiliently positioned hooks or latches l3, carried by the side members and extending throughapertures M' in said bars. The heddle supporting structure is oldand well known, but is here illustrated in order to convey thecomplete idea of the operative association; of a standard form of heddle or harness frame and its several parts, except asv herein. described, with the elevating and depressing harness herewith illustrated.

In order to show that the invention anticipates the attachment of theharness to said frame in different ways, as long as such: attachment is adjacent, and it strains and stresses are applied, to the side members, reference is made more particularly to the details of construction; as shown in. Fig. 2'. At each corner of theframe an angle Each side memberis member 9 is secured by suitable means to the inner surface of the adjacent shaft, and to said side member in any suitable manner, as by welding at I6. Said angle member is elongated inwardly in a shaft recess l1 and provided with an aperture l 8 in alignment with a bore'l9, which extends vertically through said shaft, and through which aperture and bore extends one end of a supporting or depressing cable, strap, or the like, 20, the end of which is prevented from escaping. by knottin-g or otherwise fastening it to a washer 2 I or the like, which is larger than said aperture and bore. In this construction, the pull of the harness, either or both above and below said frame, while not in direct alignment with said side. members, is sufficiently in alignment therewith to fulfill the requirements of the invention, and thereby leave maximum space adjacent to the said shafts free from obstruction, while imposing the necessary elevating and depressing forces almost entirely in alignment with the side members, with no appreciable flexing moment upon the horizontally extending shafts I and 2.

Referring to Fig. 3, the side and angle mem means of a nut 25 positioned within an enlarged.

cut-out portion 26' of said shaft.

As shown Figs. 1 and 2, either or both the elevating and depressing means, in extending through bores in said shafts, may reach and project from the inner adjacent surfaces of said members, or may terminate short of said inner surfaces, whether said bores extend entirely or but partially through saidshafts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of v the United States is:

1. A heddle-supporting frame, comprising spaced shafts, spacing members having angular extensions and connecting the end portions of said shafts, heddle bars operatively supported between said shafts, and frame-shifting means,

said shifting means being connected to saidv angular extensions.

2. A heddlesupporting frame, comprising spaced shafts, spacing members having angular extensions upon the inner oradjacent sides of said shafts and connecting the end portions of said shafts, heddle bars operatively supported between said shafts, and frame-shifting means extending through bores in said shafts and connected to said angular extensions.

3. A heddle supporting frame, comprising spaced shafts, spacing members connecting the ends of said shafts, brackets carried by said members and engaging the inner or adjacent surfaces of said shafts, and frame-shifting means extending from opposite directions and directly en- 4. A heddle-supporting frame, comp-rising spaced shafts, spacing members connecting the I ends of said shafts, brackets carried by said members and engaging the inner or adjacent surfaces of said shafts, and frame-shifting means extending from opposite directions through bores in said shafts and directly engaging said brackets.

5. A heddle supporting frame, comprising spaced shafts, spacing members connecting theends of said shafts, pairs of spaced brackets car-h ried by the end portions of each of said members and positioned upon the opposite sides of said shafts, and frame-shifting means extending from opposite directions and directly engaging the inner bracket of eachof said pairs.

6. A heddle supporting frame, comprising spaced shafts, spacing members connecting the 1 ends ofsaid shafts, pairs of spaced brackets carried by the end portions of each of said members and positioned upon the opposite sides of said RICHARD T. OSTEEN. 

